identity helps attract businesses, retain and grow business. the letter outlines the two alternatives. it proposes a preferred alternative on behalf of the commission, which would have a geographic split that retains san francisco as an entirety having the 415 area code and marin would transition to the of 28 area code and there is also estimate to have northern san mateo go to the 62 area code. the commission and this letter recognizes that the 415 may exhaust phone numbers even with this geographic split within the next decade and would recommend a third area code with an overlay option should that occur. the commission also recognizes however that there could be a secondary alternative, which would be the overlay option. which while not preferred would still meet the objectives that we have outlined in the letter. and i hope all of you had a chance to review it.

director, i don't know if you have anything to add, but that concludes my presentation. >> do we have any commissioner comments? >> i have some. >> commissioner o'brien? >> so i heard in if you do the overlay, first of all, nobody is asked for marketing materials because they keep the numbers that they have. new additional numbers. if you split it, there are two ways that we may split the eastside or we may split it where we stick it to san mateo and stick it to marin. bad choice of words, but basically they take the problem. the issue with that is that we're kind of kicking the can down the road, if we do that, because it will get exhausted.

it might get exhausted quicker than ten years with cell phone technology and what not. so i'm kind of thinking it would be better to deal with it now and not have to deal with it later. and the overlay sounds very fair to me, because people who have their numbers can keep them. and that is my initial reaction to anyway. it's fair in that everybody will have a ten-digit dialing plan. so you will have a long distance call whether you are in either area. that is any initial reaction anyway. >> commissioner dooley? >> we discussed the idea that in san francisco retained the 4 15, we were acknowledging it would run out. but what we would prefer is to therefore have a new area code assigned exclusively to san francisco at that time.

that is one thing that we had felt might work well. because we have such a strong identity as a city and county of san francisco, this might be a good time to move that forward. that idea we would retain 415 and add our own overlay >> commissioner dwight? >> so we discussed this at length and i think i agree with you that the overlay, just a straight overlay is the least disruptive to all businesses, because obviously change is expensive. even in the online world you have to change numbers and hunt down everywhere where your number appears, whether it's yelp or any google search. where we came to this position is that the cpuc obviously is considering these two options. and the one option of doing this geographic split is

fundamentally flawed. why would you split san francisco in half? that is kind of ridiculous. we think of area code as having some geographic significance. and so we decided that rather than rebut the entire suggestion of a geographic split, say, if you are going to geographic split, call all of san francisco 415 and is deploy 628 in the now disenfranchised 4 15 area. and knowing that that would increasing the geography would decrease the runway, which is currently what? 23 years in the subsan francisco geology. maybe it's ten years. we don't know exactly what the number is. when you come in to do another area code, it will be piled right on top of a well-defined area, san francisco. so what

we're basically saying is look, cpuc, if these are the two options on the table, fix the one, okay? and make it all of san francisco and anticipate that when it runs out you are going to overlay on san francisco and that all the 628 area, when that runs out, you will be able to do the same thing. if this is just sort of a red herring. i mean it feels a little weird the way it's presented. if it's just a red herring and they are saying look, we have to get these two ideas out to the public because we can't just go with one idea. then i think the geographic overlay, the straight geographic overlay is acceptable, how to not our preference. because we do feel there is a marketing advantage. there is an identity in the 415. and also have to remember that identity has morphed over the years. 415 used to stretch to palo alto and the peninsula.

certainly if we did just the geographic overlay as the geography is today, it would be distinguisheding as an old resident or new resident and that in in and of itself might have cache about it. so marketing people spin it however they want, but splitting san francisco in half is ridiculous. so this was sort of to address both proposals and say fix the one. either one of them, if fixed, are acceptable, but we prefer the one where san francisco gets 415. so i think the discussion today, i mean, because we talked about this a lot, more than i just did. [ laughter ] and just to give you that background, so whether -- i mean, definitely change is going to be difficult. but that is going to get vetted at a different level. and so as the representative of a san francisco bis, business, the preference would be that 4 15 is ours. if that is not the case, a straight overlay. the least amount of change is

the better. this is not a very logical proposal. >> commissioner ortiz-cartagena? >> i definitely agree with us keeping 415. i feel bad for all of those who got a tattoo on various body parts. [ laughter ] but is there any distinction between land lines and cell phones as i assume the increased volume of cell phones in the region is widely probably expedited this problem that major cities face? do we know that? >> it's a good question and many people are just bringing -- they have been identified with their original cell phone numbers wherever they happen to be when they got their cell phone. as a matter of fact some people carry that around if you are a new yorker and hanging out in san francisco you take pride in the fact you have a new york area code. so i think that this is sort of a -- we're at

a weird time in the deployment of numbers. and the next question, when will you have a four-digit area code, because just about every area code has been designated for use and will run out in the next 100 years, if not sooner. i don't know what the answer to that is. this is really a short-term issue here, that is less than 100-year issue. but i think just for the purposes of wading through this material, that the two proposals, they are pretty straightforward. there is a logic to them, how to the one is flawed. >> commissioner riley? >> yes, i agree with commissioner dwight. i think that we should keep 415 and looking at it historically, how adam was changed to 510 and that the peninsula changed to 610. >> 650. >> 650. so how did they do it

at that time? so maybe we can -- instead of reinventing the wheel, just go with the same process. >> i would agree. i would like to thank your committee, because i thought this was well-thought out. i really like this letter. and i think you guys did a great job. it just makes sense. it's commonsense >> yes. >> any other commissioner comments? let's open this up to public comment? do we have any public comment on item no. 7? area codes. >> no. >> welcome steve. >> thank you. i think commissioner ortiz had the right idea. cell phones seem to be proliferating all over the place. why don't all new cell phones have the new area code? i get

people's business codes that have 415 for their business and some other area code for their cell phone. it's quite common. and i think also what happens is a lot of people from san francisco take their 415 number. my two children live in san diego now, but their cell phones are still 415 down there. so i think it would be very easy for any business to add a cell phone with a different area code, and maintain that phone number that they have always had as 415. i think that is the right idea going forward. thank you. >> thank you. any other members of the public that would like to comment on item no. 7? seeing none, item no. 7 is closed. commissioners? >> well number portability is also legislated that you are

allowed to take your number with you. i don't think we want to make any recommendations that discusses number portability. i don't think we have to suggest that. that is a great suggestion and observation about how people are moving around now. obviously the 415 number and every number is dispersed now all over the place, because people take their numbers with them that. is just part of the way it's done. i think for our purposes here and they will work out the details. they looking at what is the horizon before this thing rears its ugly head again. so i think the letter as chris as drafted it, logically addresses the issues as they exist today. we'll be talking about this or next generations of commissioners will be talking about this down the road. >> if i could take this opportunity for members of the public, on january 16th, at

2:00 p.m. at the state building, there will be a cpuc meeting to address. two meetings. one is a meeting at 2:00 p.m. for local jurisdictions. the other meeting is a public meeting 7:00 p.m., california public utilities commission auditorium and at that time they will be taking public comment. >> that is a great time to bring up some of these other issues with the experts from cpuc. >> so we feel pretty happy in our committee with this letter. so i would like to move that we send this letter to the mayor. >> just one comment. going back to the reference, i remember growing up when the bay area was 415 and the bay was known as 415. the reason i think the split

among cities works so well, because each city got its own identity. the east bay, 925. everybody gets a sense of pride to their region. obviously, i want to keep 415 at all costs, but mathematically in the future it might be a problem. what about via districts? if we ever go to four digits, 415 and then your district or something like kind of give you a sense of something. because i don't know, it's not going to sit very well with people. >> well, i think, we really can't anticipate what happens post-415 right now. whether they went to an x4 15 with a digit in front of it or find an unused area code. i think our proposal is the most favorable to maintaining a geographic identity to san

francisco, 415 for all those with 415 in their name and url and perhaps tattooed somewhere on their bodies. [ laughter ] >> there is even a small business 415 clothing. >> yes, south of market. >> so i think this is the most -- this addressing the issues that are on the table presently. i agree with you, the debate is going to come up with the folks north, who say we don't want to change. it's going to cost us money and why not do a geographic overlay. that is probably already going to vet itself at this meeting coming up and subsequently. so we'll watch how that plays out. the fact of the matter it doesn't change for san francisco one way or the other. we're going to get an overlay one way or another, because the numbers will run out, whether it's 20 years or 10 years. no matter how they do this, there are going to be two area codes in san francisco. we would just like it to be able of san francisco has the

two area codes and stage it one after the other, rather than splitting it in half. >> i want to thank you, because i know it's not an easy task. >> our idea would be when the time comes we would establish the city and county of san francisco and if they want to give us, you know, whatever -- that at least that will be identified, like a new york city, they have more codes now, but we all know that those are new york city codes. that is what we're suggesting is that this is a good time to make the city and county one unified area. >> we would have to market our new 415 number, whatever that number would be. >> right. >> the same old 415, but better. >> is that a motion? >> i would like to make a motion that we approve this letter, and send this on from our commission to mayor lee,

who is asking for feedback from our commission and i would move that we do it via this letter. >> i second that motion. >> roll call, chris. >> commissioners, we have a motion from commissioner dooley adopt the letter and send to mayor lee and seconded by commissioner ortiz-cartagena. on that motion roll call (roll call vote ) >> commissioners that motion passes 7-0. >> that is pretty well thought out. >> a very good job. >> should have been at our meeting. [ laughter ] >> next item. >> commissioners, item 8, election of the president of the small business commission.

allows the commissioners to elect a member of the commission to serve as president of the commission, requires a motion and vote. >> commissioner o'brien? >> director, would you like me to read the procedures into the record? >> no, will you please read the procedures. commissioner issues will read the procedures into the record. the commission will vote on president followed by vice president. for each position the secretary will call for nominations. the next nominees will provide statements and other commissioners will make comments. following this, the commission will hold public comments, finally the secretary will take a roll call vote in the order of those nominated. the first commissioner who receives four votes for each respective officer position will hold office for the next 12 months. if nobody does, the process will be re-opened and the process will be repeated. i have a tracking sheet that will be used to track the

votes. >> commissioner o'brien? >> so at this point we can nominate, right? >> make the nominations. >> well, i have been vice president for this past year working beside president adams. and i would have to confess that steve has been even more dedicated than myself to the small business commission. i know small business week he probably puts in the equivalent of -- well, i won't speak for the other commissioners, but he certainly puts in a lot more than i have put in because of time con [stra-eupbts/]s. constraints and i don't recall him missing one meeting during the year he has been president. i like the way he has conducted the meetings and been very professional. i'm delighted to think that there is a possibility that he would continue that good work and i know he is already in the process of prepping us for

small business week 2013. so i would really like to nominate steve adams to be our president for the upcoming year. >> any other nominations? public comment? >> actually, commissioners, the next in order would be for the nominees to provide a statement. >> well, thank you, luke and i would be honored to serve another year as president. yes, i am involved with small business week and the one thing that is my passion is the neighborhood business corridors. we're seeing more and more involvement by a lot of our neighborhood merchant corridors, especially in last few years. and like last week we did the awards last week, which i attended.

the winner was the lower haight merchant association. and i just get a thrill out of see some of these newer organizations getting involved in small business issues. so i would like to really continue on with that and working with mayor lee's office, because the biggest challenge, i think, which is a good challenge is the implementation of proposition e that passed. so that is it. >> thank you, mr. president. the next item would be commissioner comments? >> i would like to say how much i agree with mr. o'brien, commissioner o'brien that steve adams is a great president. he is a great leader. he is very fair-minded. he worked really hard and he deserves a second term. >> here, here.

>> public comment? >> at this time, public comment. >> on what? >> this is for the election of the president position. >> i want to comment on small business. >> we'll have general public comment shortly. >> seeing none, public comment is closed. >> commissioners, at this time, we'll have a roll call vote in order of those nominated. in this case we have the first and only nominee is stephen adams nominated by vice president o'brien, and for this purpose there is no second necessary. so if you would like i can go ahead and call the roll call. >> go ahead. >> and this would just be at this time you would just -- when i call roll call just state the name of the person you would like to select for president. >> commissioner adams? >> adams. >> [ laughter ] >> commissioner dooley? >> adams. >> commissioner dwight? >> i vote for adams.

>> commissioner o'brien? >> commissioner adams. commissioner ortiz-cartagena? >> adams >> commissioner white? >> adams >> commissioner yee riley? >> adams. >> that motion passes 7-0. >> thank you. >> congratulations. [ applause ] >> commissioners, would you like next item? >> next item, please >> item 9, election of vice president of the small business commission. allows the commission to elect a member of commission to serve as vice president of the commission and requires a motion and vote. at this time, with your discretion, i guess the first item would be to open nominations. >> open nominations for vice president. commissioner riley? >> i would like to nominate commissioner white to be the vice president. i think it's good to have new blood to serve on the leadership role and commissioner white has been very active and very enthusiastic and comes to all

the meetings with a lot of great ideas. i think it would be great for you to serve as vice president. >> thank you. >> any other commissioner comments? commissioner o'brien? >> i would just like to weigh in. i have enjoyed -- >> pardon me at this time we have the nominee make a statement. >> sorry >> no problem. >> i would like to thank you for the nomination. i'm a fairly new commissioner as you know, so i look forward to taking this role and working with commissioner adams and learning a lot more about my role here. and thank you very much. >> now we'll move on to commissioner comments? >> okay, i was just going to say that i have enjoyed having you on the commission and i think most of my fellow commissioners would agree that we are a very strong, cohesive force now that can find a lot

of common ground together. and i have thought that you have been very focused and very incisive on the issues. i remember a couple of times where i heard you make comments that i hadn't seen an angle to something and i thought it was great to have somebody point something out that i hadn't spotted myself. i would be delighted to see you as the vice president. >> commissioner dooley? >> i also am very enthusiastic about commissioner white becoming the vice president. it's been a long time since a supervisorial appointee has held an executive position and i'm delighted to see monetta take on that role. i am just very happy with that decision. thank you. >> i would like to say that you are a pleasure to work with, and as a restaurant owner, small business owner in

the fillmore, you come up with a lot of ideas, and i am just really looking forward to working with you. >> yes. >> at this time, public comment on the election of vice president. >> do we have any public comment on the election of vice president? seeing none, public comment is closed. >> commissioners we're now at roll call vote. >> commissioner adams? >> white. >> commissioner dooley? >> white. >> commissioner dwight? >> white. >> commissioner o'brien? >> white. >> commissioner ortiz-cartagena? >> white. >> commissioner white? >> white commissioner yee riley? >> white. >> commissioner that motion passes 7-0. congratulations. [ applause ] >> i just want to make, for the record, i want to thank vice president o'brien. he has been a mentor to me for the last few years. i know he is still going to be on the commission, but when i first joined he was president

of the commission. and then vice president and i just want to thank you for your two years of executive leadership on this commission and teaching me how to work angles and everything and i wanted to thank you publicly for that, luke. >> thank you for the honor. >> next item. >> commissioners now item no. 10, director's report, update and report on the office of small business and small business assistance [s-eurbgts/] update on legislative matters and make announces recording the small business activities. there is one item in the back of your folder that is part of the director's report. i included since it's a handout. >> director. >> thank you >> commissioners i want to start off with happy new year, with our first meeting of 2013 and happy new year to you and look forward to all of that is ahead of us for 2013 and

congratulate president adams for your second term as president and commissioner white as our new vice president and want to extend great appreciation to you, commissioner o'brien for your two years' of service and executive leadership with the commission. it's been great working with you and helping me provide some guidance and direction for the commission and our office and staff. so i want to extend that appreciation though. i know you are not far away. you are just a phone call away. >> 415 area code. [ laughter ] >> so all right. a couple of notes. 2013 is the small business commission as a charter commission ten-year anniversary. so the outreach committee, i presented this to the outreach

committee and so the outreach committee has been assigned, taking a look at the ten-year anniversary as a chartered commission. we are the only chartered commission thus far that is known about in the united states as a small business commission. so i think some acknowledgments are due, and so the outreach committee is going to explore what we can do to provide some celebration and acknowledgment with that. license 123, the online technology tool that the office is working with, are developing for businesses to be able to understand the permits that are required. jane gong provided you with a demonstration we're just about to launch. so at our next meeting she will be providing you with the full demonstration, because the tool will be ready to go live on the

28th or shortly thereafter. so all the items that we have been working on and working with the company will be done and complete. the online business portal project update, the comprehensive one, erica has been working on this. we had the departments fill out a comprehensive survey. and so their deadline was this week and we have pretty much all departments' surveys completed and in hand and eric and i are going to start working on that, taking a look at it, both to help with either gleaning some information for streamlining and permits to improvements to take but also make the assessment on what it will take to build the comprehensive portal